Planning to rebuild my 20TB WHS Flexraid server: Information requested. - Page 13

Yup. Just very HOT.

Burn you if you touch it hot.

My set up has great cooling I should be ok. Glad to know it's normal.

4tb drive for $159 today on slick deals.

Pondering if smart to use as my PRU drive on rebuild.

Ok I need some advice. I am using the Shift + F10 method to install WHS2011 to a SSD under 160GB size. I edit the notepad and save then launch. It works fine. I have done this before and very comfortable with process.

I successfully installed.


Here is the problem. WHS formated the SSD for two 60GB partitions... or basically 59.99 for the first and the leftover for the second.

I do not want this.

I want one single partition for the SSD.


HOW???

I can't find "advanced" options that allow for this. Someone help ????

So should I just reinstall ? Use USB method ?

If I broke down my current Flexraid pool and powered down and moved the OS drive to new server and new mobo then remade my new pool ??? Think that's valid option versus total reinstall on new SSD ?

I think I am going to try this first. I can always swap out the existing SSD with a new one and clean install later. That takes more time than I want to devote now.

Well I get the awesome BSOD.

It goes to the windows load screen then BOOM. It comes.

Evertime.

I unhooked every HDD and took out both the INTEL NIC and IBM SATA from the PCI ports.

Still BSOD.

So... Then I tried an older Vertex2 120GB that had a windows install on it. BSOD !!! same.

So...

Then I had a Vertex3 120GB with WHS2011 on it that was installed on that motherboard. I installed it to try it all out and make sure the hardware all worked before I disassembled my currents server.

It booted up fine. hmm..... Must be a driver issue or something

So I reinstalled flexraid on this new WHS install and set it up quickly.. But I think it needs a few days since I have so much data.

My 120GB now is still 60 + 55GB partitions that got split so I want to fix that or reinstall and reset up now that I know everything is working.

Whats the consensus? Just re-install clean ? Easy way to extend OS partition ?

I'm worried that if leave it at 60GB it will fill up or it might over use the NAND in that area. I guess both are silly. I guess I could leave it and just install programs to the D drive on the other half to save room.

Awesome. I'll just do that!

Here is some pics from my phone as I was playing with the server yesterday.


(SIX) 3TB Drives and (four) 2TB drives.






I have a Hitachi 2TB in my desktop I want to add next and also a WD GREEN 2TB inside my TIVO HD I don't use anymore I think I might steal back next.

But I have some growing room for now since I added 9TB and only took away about 2.5TB from a 1TB and a couple 750GB drives that are just too small now to be worth anything to me.

I plan to copy over the data from them and then sell off on ebay. They work great just too small.

One cool surprise was I found a HDD cage for this case I forgot I had. I totally forgot this case can take 3 more HDD's above in front of the PSU.

It was a nice surprise to find the cage in my basement and also find it fits nice.



The cage just snaps in - right in front of the PSU on top. (yeah old cases had PSU on top)

I really want to upgrade the case to a real server case like a NORCO 4220.

But I am finding my old gamer case is working for the moment just fine.

I can fit 13 HDD's- it has good cooling.

So -- I sense another rebuild early next year to a server case

These two worked out nice for the 4 3TB Seagates I ran right off the motherboard's 4 SATA 2 ports on Z77.

1 to 4 power with capacitor $9
4 sata to 4 sata angled.

Made a pretty easy hook up for the first 4 HDD's

The IBM card works well. I love it.

The other HDD's are run from that card's SATA ports.

I grabbed two of these blue stock Intel brand cables for the two ports on the card. Give me total 8 additional Sata ports. Easy to run.

One went up to the cage above. One went right to the other drives in the front of the tower bays.
Edited by Mfusick - 12/23/12 at 9:00am

Ended up with a really nice ROSEWILL PSU. More efficient and nicer cable options than the Seasonic I originally wanted. $20 less too

New egg had the 20% off sale.

I'm wondering if I should build my array with the blank drives then just copy over the data from the others ????

They all pass chkdsk so I guess I'll wait to see what Brahim says first.

http://forum.flexraid.com/index.php/topic,1574.msg11563.html#msg11563


I have got no replies at the flexraid forum like usual. It's been a few days for most of the posts.

My next thing is to copy over all the data and just reformat the old ones and try that. I think I am having an error on one of the green drives again. I have terrible luck with those so far.

It's read speed is very low (20-40MB) and I hear a noise once in a while that seems to be that drive. I might copy over now while it still works.

One of my other drives (also a green 3TB go figure) seems to have a bad sector or error as it gets hung up trying to read a certain video file.

I am going to try to build a pool without the green drives and see what happens.

http://www.avsforum.com/t/1440779/breaking-up-flexraid-array-anything-need-to-do-to-remove-a-hdd-from-a-flexraid-server/0_40

I guess one of my drives has a read error so I will track that down. Stupid defective HDDs!!!

It's never easy it is

I have 15% off a server chassis coupon good at Newegg.

I think I might grab a NORCO server case. I'd love the hot swap feature.

anyone know difference between 4020 vs 4220 vs 4224 ??

Why is the 4220 $30 more than 4020 ??? Why is 4224 $70 more than 4224 ??

I looks like 24 bays vs 20 bays is obvious difference. I get that.

But I am unsure of the other small differences. I don't need more than 20 bays so I am leaning towards the 4220. Anything special or different between these two models?


Which is better ????

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Productcompare.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100006519%2050010473%2040000412&IsNodeId=1&bop=And&ActiveSearchResult=True&CompareItemList=412|11-219-021^11-219-021-TS%2C11-219-033^11-219-033-TS%2C11-219-038^11-219-038-TS
How about the 4020 vs 4220 ?? I can't seems to find the difference of the $30/$70 between these two ???

I think I settled on the 4220. It has SAS connectors. I need those and it makes for neater build. The 4020 uses SATA cables and would get messy. Plus, my IBM card has mini SAS and I would get more if those .

I don't need 24 bays so the 4224 is not good choice at $70 more. Plus ... I give up external accessible DVD drive bay.

I'll posts some pics when I get it up and running.

Mine is old school. High end old school model. I built LGA 775 in it originally ...

I have three drive bays. (One stock).
I bought extras on amazon for $20.

It's basically HDD's all the way down. I took out the 5.25" drawer that came stock. Also the 3.5" floppy (Lolololololololololololololololo)

I was short a space so I added the hot swap bay at the top. It works well.

I have space for side facing drives up top. There is a 3 HDD cage.

So basically it holds 13 HDDs native. Without modding. I could add another 3 with very light modifications. There is tons of room.

I been putting off the server case upgrade because really this is a nice case... And it's in great condition and works well.

The only reason I got Norco was I got a 15% customer appreciation coupon from newegg and usually those are excluded. I saved $50. They never go on sale. I could sell it ebay for my cost used probably.

I really wanted hit swap bays.

I am constantly unplugging and carry down my server to my workbench in basement. It's really heavy with 13 HDDs in it. (As heavy as my COSMOS II).

I used to mount stuff half assed but now I take my time and do it right. I double check every screw for tightness and try to prevent all vibrations and rattles. It works but its a pain. It took all day to swap motherboards and rebuild in pictures above. But result was a nice server tower with 24TB and great cooling and silent operation.

I'll be sad in a way to replace this beast. It was a worthy gaming machine in its day.

It's a pretty big case even by today's standards. It sits next to my Cosmos II so I forgot how big it was. It began to appear small to me. But when I got it alone on the workbench I realized the error in my thinking.

It's really the perfect server case if you wanted a tower and 15 or less HDDs.

I'll try to throw up some pics of the new build when I get around to it...